Power-transmitting apparatus.



W. H. RODBPELD.

POWER lx-lANsMITTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 20, 1913.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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@Him ne WILLIAM H. RODEFELD, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

POWER-TRANSMITTING APPARATUS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed December 20, 1913. Serial No. 807,840.

To all rwhom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. RonnrnLn, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city of Richmond, in thecounty of Vavne, and in the State of Indiana, have invented a new anduseful Power-Transmitting Apparatus, of which the following is a full,clear, and comprehensive specification, being such as wili enable amechanic to make and operate the same with precision.

This present invention relates to a power transmitting mechanismconstructed on substantiall-y the same principles as that of my formerinvention which was set forth in my application iiled June 30th, 1913,Serial No. 776,488., allowed Nov. 17, 1913, but incorporating, in thisinstance, 'certain features whereby the driven element may be rotatedreversely to that of the driving element.

The object herein attained is the provision of a gearless andpractically frictionless apparatus fortransmitting power reversely tothat of the driving shaft, at the same time providing an apparatus whichwill be noiseless in operation, practically indestructible in use, andadapted to transmit a smooth and even change of direction regardless ofproper manipulation on the part of the operator.

Other special objects and Iadvantages of my present invention will bebrought out in the course of the following specification.

It should be remembered that the principles of my invention may becarried out in a variety of ways, but that which I have determined to bethe most practical is shown in the accompanying one-sheet of drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of theconstruction incorporating my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section,taken centrally through the construction shown in Fig. 1'. And Fig. 3 isa detailed perspective view of the spool and the spindle or drivenelement, which is integral therewith.

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the invention in detail: Numeral 1 denotes the base,from which eX- tend upwardly the two separated standards 2 and 3, eachcarrying on its upper ex'- tremity the respective bearings 4 and 5 whichare in horizontal alinement with cach other. Revolubly mounted in thebearings 4 and 5 is the Shaft c, constituting the driting element.Formed integral with, or rigidly secured on, the shaft 6 between thebearings 4 and 5 is the boss i' which is concentric with the shaft G,and whose length is less than the distance between the bearings 4 and 5for reasons hereinafter made apparent. Secured to the standards 2 and 3and extending across therebetween and located near the base 1, is thebar 8 on which the lower portion of the clamping-ring is hinged. Saidclamping-ring comprises the two segmental members 9 and 10, whose lowerends are interlockcd where they are concentrically pivoted on the bar 8,substantially as shown. Extending up from the upper end-portion ofmember 9 are the two spaced-apart ears 11 and 12. And in like mannerextending up from the upper end portion of member 10 is the ear 13.

Mounted between the ears 11 and 12, on,

the pivot 15, is the angular lever 16 which extends upward and forwardas shown. Mounted on the ear 13, by the pivot 17, is the link 18, theupper or forward end of which is pivoted to the upwardly extending endof the lever 16 on the fulcrum 19 carried by said lever. By the abovedescribed construction it will be apparent that when the lever 16 isturned in one direction on its fulcrum 19 the upper ends of the members9 and 10 will be brought toward'each other, While if the said lever ismoved in the opposite direction the said members will be moved apart,for the purposes hereinafter made apparent. Revolubly mounted around theboss 7 is the spool which comprises the two end disks 20 and 20', whichare integrally connected near their peripherics by the bars 20". Formedin the edges of the disks 20 and 20', cutting the peripheries thereof,are a plurality of notches b, in this instance there being six of saidnotches `in each disk. Formed through the center of the disk 20' is theaperture a, whose diameter is slightly greater than is the diameter oflthe boss 7 which may pass therethrough as the device is being assembledor taken apart. Extending out from the center of the disk 20 is thehollow members 9 and 10. Extending out in an axial direction from thecenter ot each end of each of the rollers 21 are the pivots c, which areconcentric with their respective rollers. Each of said rollers 21 ismounted both to revolve and to move radially, to -attain which there isslidably mounted in each of the notches Z2 a bearing or guideblock 22,each having a central aperture therethrough for the pivots c of therollers 21. Each of said guide-blocks isprovided on two of its edgeswith lips whereby it is prevented from working outward said lips actingas guides for the blocks as they move in and out in their notches Z9.The spindle 23 is journaled in the bearing 5, and the shaft 6 extendstherethrough, whereby the bearing 5 provides a support both for theshaft 6 and the spindle 23, as shown in Fig. 1. A plurality of rollers Aare located between the boss 7 and therollers 21, the same beingparallel thereto and contacting therewith, as indicated in Fig. 2. The

' rollers A are of the same length as the rollers 21 but they have nopivots on their ends, but their ends are adapted to contact With theinner faces of the disks 20 and 20, which prevents them from beingdisplaced laterally. The relative size of the boss 7, the rollers 21,and the rollers A may be 'variously changed to meet various conditionsor desiderata, depending upon the speed-at which it is desired thespindle or driven element is to travel with relation to the shaft or thedriving element. It is contemplated that a pulley, gear, sprocket, orthe like (not shown) maybe secured o n the spindle 23, through whichpower may be transmitted to a machine or the like.

llt will be observed that the various elements may be assembled as inFigs. 1 and 2. It now the shaft 6 be rotated ,in either direction, withthe lever 16 turned upward to its limit of movement, it is evident thatthe spindle 23 will remain at rest. But it the lever 16 be now movedforward, to the position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, theupper` ends of the members 9 and 10 of the clamping ring will be broughttoward each other, thereby clamping the members 9 and 10 upon therollers 21, and they in turn upon the rollers A, thereby pressing the,latter into contact with the boss 7. Thereforethe rollers A willrevolvelon the periphery of the boss 7 and also upon the rollers 21,thereby causing the rollers 21 to revolve upon the rollers A and uponthe inner face of the members of the clampingring.

The operation just'described will eventuate to revolve the spool, andconsequently the spindle 23, in a reverse direction to that ofthe shaft6, thereby accomplishing the primal object of this invention.

It should be understood that this invention may be employed inconnection with other devices for operating the driven element atvarious speeds with relation-to the driving element, such as that shownin my former invention above referred to.

lt desire' that it be understood that various changes may be made intheseveral details of construction from that herein set forth, the partsmay be differently arranged, and the proportionate sizps of the severalparts may be varied therefrom, Without departing from the spirit of thisinvention and without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.-

Having now fully 'shown and described my invention, what l claiml anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesisf 1.Anapparatus ofi-the nature set forth comprising a shaft having a bosscarried thereby and concentric therewith, a spool concentric withthe'boss, a plurality of outer rollers mounted and radially movable inysaid spool, a plurality of inner rollers loosely located between thebossand the outer rollers, a clamp surrounding the spool, means yforcontracting said clamp upon the outer set of rollers whereby the spoolwill be rotated reversely tothe shaft. 2. An apparatus of the naturesetforth comprising a shaft having a bossf carried thereby, a spoolconcentric with the boss, a spindle surrounding the shaft and rigidlyconnected to the spool, a plurality Aof outer rollers mounted to revolveand movable radially in said spool, a plurality of inner rollers looselylocated between the boss and the outer rollers, a clamp surrounding theouter rollers and adapted' to contact with! the outer set of rollers topress the clamp, the outer set of rollers, the inner setof rollers, andthe boss into rollingl contact with each other whereby the spindle willrevolve in a direction opposite to that ofthe shaft. l l y 3. Anapparatus of the nature setlforth comprising a` rotatable yshaft havinga boss forming an enlargement of a portion thereof, a spool concentricwith said boss, a spindle surrounding the shaft and formed integral withthe spool, a lclamping-rinih'an outer set of rollers carried by thespool and radially operable therein and 'adapted to revplve ou theinneriacecf thelamPing-G subscribed my nume to this specification inthoupresence of two subscriblng witnesses.

WILLIAM H. RODEFELD.

Witnesses:

RoBT. W. RANDLE, R E. RANDLE.

